SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYURETHANE-STARCH COMPOSITES FOR ENHANCED IMPACT RESISTANCE

Abstract

Polyurethane (PU) has emerged as a prominent polymer in various industries, owing to its versatile applications and desirable properties. This research aims to enhance the impact resistance quality of PU by incorporating starch as a sustain-able additive, which will contribute to the development of more durable and reliable polyurethane materials for multiple industries. Starch, a plentiful natural resource, offers advantages of affordability, biodegradability, widespread availability, and environmental friendliness, which makes it an optimal additive choice for this research. The synthesis process involves the combination of starch with two polyols, namely glycerol and castor oil. Afterwards, the polymerization process begins with the introduction of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and addition of dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTL) as a catalyst. Various proportions of glycerol to castor oil were evaluated during the synthesis process to generate a series of polyurethane samples, aiming to identify the optimal ratio that provides the highest impact resistance. Subsequently, the impact resistance capability of polyurethanes (Pus) was further explored by introducing varying quantities of castor oil into the synthesis process. After the preparation of all the PU samples, the two most promising formulations, one with starch and one without starch, were selected for further analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Achieved results showed that starch addition improves impact resistance, as indicated by the presence of hydroxyl (OH) groups. The successful completion of the reaction confirms starch’s effectiveness as an eco-friendly and cost-effective additive for enhancing impact resistance in polyurethane.